Movies »The Tales of Hoffmann

directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger (1951)

When Jim saw The Tales of Hoffmann in the Netflix sleeve, he asked what it was and I said “That is not for you”. While it is highly and rightfully praised for it’s cinematic beauty, a film set entirely to opera with no dialogue is a tough sell in my house, and probably many others. I like opera generally, though have to admit, this one isn’t my favorite musically.

Luckily, that hardly matters since the real spectacle here are the surreal, fantastical and sometimes creepy imagery that Pressberger and Powell have created.

The plot, concerning a poet’s three big loves lost to a wind up doll, a gorgeous temptress, and an opera singer is full of fun flights of fancy. Like a man who sells eyes to make you see the world as you wish it or another that turns candle wax into jewels.

While I admit, I found the third act a bit of a snoozer, this is a film unlike many you’ll ever see. If you are familiar with their more popular work, The Red Shoes (a previous Brix Pick) you have some idea of the visual spectacle that awaits you. Not only are the sets stunning (such a shame no one makes unrealistic sets for movies anymore) but the costumes are amazing.

While it was a surprise to read that George Romero sites this as a most favorite and inspirational movie, I’d not be shock at all if fashion designers took to it for the insect body suits, eyes adorned with flower petals, gold manicures, eyeball printed trench coats, and that awesome candle wax necklace that I would buy in a heartbeat.

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Posted on February 23, 2011

Recipes »Moqueca

from Simply Recipes

Jim and I were worried about blandness based on the simplicity of the ingredient list for this Brazilian Fish Stew, or Moqueca but they belie incredible flavor and one of the yummiest meals we’ve been surprised by in a while.

We used ingredients we already had on hand so we omitted the rice and cilantro.

This is one of those meals that impresses but actually takes very little effort. Another Simply Recipes gem.

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Posted on February 22, 2011

Laughs »Inception Just A Scrooge McDuck Ripoff

Nolan, A Fraud?

Read all the evidence here.

“I owe it all to Donald Duck!” would be an awesome Oscar speech.

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Posted on February 21, 2011

Movies »Femme Fatale

directed by Brian De Palma (2002)

While I have to admit on second viewing, Femme Fatale is far less clever and more cheesy than I remember, it’s still a great noirish guilty pleasure that marked Brian De Palma’s return to over the top form – mirroring some of my favorites of his career: the Hitchcock inspired Sisters, Blow Out, and the best, Body Double.

It’s hard not to have a soft spot for a film that opens with an epic heist set to classical music involving a bra made of diamonds and lesbian bathroom stall groping. Or maybe not… It was a box office bomb and most people seem to hate this movie.

But despite porny dialogue, bad acting (Romijn playing French speaking English, whew!), and a ludacris, off the rails plot about fate and a paparazzo – or maybe because of all that, I have loads of fun watching.

Just don’t take it too seriously or have lofty expectations.

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Posted on February 21, 2011

Spend a Couple Minutes »Sing A Ma Jigs

It was a gift enough to see my old school friend Dana and her beautiful daughter Bea, but they also came bearing gifts for Van including this Sing A Ma Jig – one of the best most awesomest toys I’ve ever seen.

I think I am more into playing with it than Van. There are three more in the series and I am seriously considering getting them all.

Please enjoy the video I made.

Thanks again Dana and Bea xo!

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Posted on February 19, 2011

Restaurants »1 or 8

66 S 2nd St, Williamsburg, Brooklyn

With Bozu and Zenkichi, I am happy to say that we have some of the very best Japanese restaurants in the city in our area. Well, now you can add 1 or 8 to the list. Each have their purposes and 1 or 8 fits in as a bright, modern spot that’s prefect for a date night.

You enter into a kind of impersonal, quiet bar area that belies the bubbly, inviting, brightly lit dining area around the corner.

Since we only go out for a date night every month of so, we decided to live it up a little and started with an oyster sampler special. My goodness do oysters go well with ponzu! The small, plump and briny ones from Washington State were outstanding.

Next we ordered the Omakase Sushi, a chef selection of the best they have to offer. The fatty tuna and yellowtail belly were buttery. The salmon tasted smoked but was naturally so. The tuna was marinated Tokyo style and was Jim’s very favorite. The catfish from Montauk, while on the chewy side offered the most amazing and surprising spicy after taste.

Next on the plate were my two favorites: a house mackerel chopped with spices and scallions and a bold sardine that glistened beautifully on the plate. The following shrimp – served raw with a creamy texture and a subtly sweetened eel rounded out an incredible sushi experience.

They offer cocktails, wine and beer but I couldn’t have such a meal without some great sake, which they offer quite an assortment of. Many are offered by the bottle, but a nice list is also offered by sample size, glass, and carafe. The sample size is great for finding the one that suits your taste the most. We were fond of the unfiltered Kamoizumi but I wasn’t totally in love with the Chikurin. To finish the meal off, we tried the White Sesame Tart with black sesame ice cream, a none too sweet dessert that grows on you with each bite.

The staff is very friendly and informative, seeming just as excited about serving the food as we were about eating it. Plus, while we spent more than we might usually this time, the menu is varied and you could easily go a la carte and spend more or less depending on your mood and budget and still walk away with a special dining experience.

Now just over a year old (though I’ve been so out of the loop, I only just read about it) it seems to have quite a following. The place was packed Friday night, so I recommend reservations which can be made easily on Opentable. If you’re a sushi lover and had your fill of the mediocre stuff you can find on any street in the country, you’ll want to make a date night out of it soon.

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Posted on February 19, 2011

Style Icons: Female,Style Icons: Male »Best of NY Fashion Week

So, with the help of the Style.com iphone app I bring you my top 20 looks of New York Fashion Week (plus menswear and additional favorites after the jump).

They seem to have broken down into: Patterns, Layering, Dresses, and for the first time I found myself in love with lots of pants and sweaters, two things I rarely wear.

Proenza Schouler, whose charmed life and American Psycho good looks always put me off a little, have been gaining my love lately, first with neon lace and now managing to make a newly overplayed and dead trend – Navajo – into the most obviously “it” look of the season.

I love the silhouette created by the Rachel Roy look and wonder why I don’t have a shawl collar blazer. But no matter, I plan to pull this off with just popping my collars, finally putting some of my lovely scarves to use in ascot form, belting it all up and matching with a printed skirt. Anyone can do it!

Suno, one of the lines I now always look forward to (and who is half designed by an old school mate making Colorado Springs proud!) is excellent with the prints and this season they are layered ingeniously. The whole collection is worth looking at for ideas to stack and clash, but I particularly love this apron look.

And Gary Graham – while not every look was my favorite, I will be having dream upon dream about this coat and even find myself a bit envious that I can’t pull off a printed legging as pants look (that is really, oh so wrong for oh so many but looks fabulous on shown teeny tiny bewigged zombie girl).

Another do it yourself-er with this fabulous Doro Olowu look. Simply grab maxi skirt (I might need to invest in a flowy one for Spring into Fall) pair with long cardigan (I plan to borrow from Jim), add a high ribbon or belt and again, more good use for those scarves we all have lying around.

This A Detacher look seems simple but stands out for the cozy color, texture and length combos. Looks like one of those easy looks that grace the street style blogs and leaves you wondering how some women have it so easy looking effortlessly gorgeous. This is tougher to pull of with items for your closet since each piece needs to work with each other perfectly. Otherwise, this could be dumpy. But worth keeping an eye out for all the pieces.

You say “lace skirt” and I don’t automatically think tweed men’s blazers, English lace up boots and  dainty florals, but all put together at Organic, it’s quietly spectacular. I can’t wait to throw lace into unexpected places.

And while layers of ecru is always ethereal and nice, Nanette Lepore makes them cool too with textures.

This exaggerated look from Chris Benz is possibly my overall favorite even if I am far too short and curvy to pull it off myself. I’d still like to play with  the idea and see what I can come up with for my frame.

And the good pants keep coming with Chadwick Bell who highlights the trend of loose but tailored pants with long belted sophistication up top.

Which is done in another beautiful way over at Richard Chai.

Now this Margiela look is very cool girl of the moment, from the greasy hair on her head to the black knee high leather boots on her toes. It’s a look I usually have no problem with but am not partial to, but there’s something in this particular execution that has left me loving it. Maybe it’s the addition of faux yeti and those killer boots that I will never find to fit me properly.

If I could realistically ask for one item this Fall, I’d seriously consider this jacket by United Bamboo. How anyone could make me love something that features one of my least favorite things – shearling – is beyond me.

This DKNY look may not be a standout to most, but there is something about the over sized red and pink stripes that is tugging at my memory. Like from the first days of really getting into fashion magazines in the late 80’s early 90’s. Was it Mizrahi? Or is Donna repeating herself? Either way, I hope H&M knocks off this look because there’s nothing I want more than a cheery Freddy Krueger sweater in these colors.

MMMM M. Patmos makes me want to get all squishy and cuddly in these flattering layers of knit.

And Preen nails the fine line between totally weird and totally wearable with this Q-bert esque sweater that looks comfortable under a slick suit as shown, but could accompany almost any look from jean skirts to sequin minis. Too bad finding a substitute for a sweater this unique will prove to be incredibly challenging.

And my evening wear coat pick would have to be this bold, bright Marchesa – the start to another derivative but insanely lovely line.

I had to look up who “The Row” was. Should I be more embarrassed that I didn’t realize it was the Olsen twins or that this big socks, tiny belt, black gloves and huge fur hat look is one of my very favorites of the whole season?

The shape of this little Tibi dress is perfect!

And who knew BCBG could be so inspiring? And with turtlenecks no less?

Click here for the rest of Best of NY Fashion Week

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Posted on February 18, 2011

Drinks »Veronica People’s Club

105 Franklin St, Greenpoint, Brooklyn

In this day in age, in this neighborhood, you can’t turn a corner without running into a good cup of (usually) Intelligentsia coffee. (You can still get a really bad cup, but the place is so tiny, cute and friendly, I’ll just leave it unnamed, but it’s bright green FYI).

So, as a late comer to the good coffee party, Veronica People’s Club is probably most exciting to those who live closest to it.

While I wholeheartedly welcome it to the neighborhood, it only garners major enthusiasm from me for two reasons:

1. the Ovenly baked goods. A small but dizzying display of goodies great you with tiny hand written placards reading such intriguing words as “blue cheese, pistachio, cinnamon, fig…”

As it was morning time, I went without the chocolate chip cookies and chose the equally delectable but slated for breakfast treat of a fig and thyme scone. yum.

2. During the day the place is empty, as in I startled the sole employee when I walked in, empty.

If you’ve ever been to Cafe Grumpy at the height of I-am-writing-my-first-novel-but-actually-just-checking-facebook-over-and-over hour or are smacked in the face with the reality that you are far from being the only unemployed person who thought they could just waltz into Five Leaves, you know how appealing a quiet, easy going spot with a decent i-pod selection playing can be.

Now I just need to find people who are either willing to trek to my area or want to quit their jobs to hang out over a long, scone filled coffee break with me and Van…

While I am writing up the coffee bar, I am lead to believe that VPC, opened by the people from Heather’s (the bar, not the movie, though the movie inspired both bar names) functions primarily as a bar bar.

And by light of day, I can see how it could be a nice place to drink. Just the right amount of nonchalance in the decor and a sign listing house cocktails let me know it’s heart is in the right place.

While I am not able to bar hop at the moment with little one in tow, you might want to check it out. Or maybe I’ll head back on the early side (unlike many places, they start serving around 3 on weekdays, 1 on weekends) some day soon for an afternoon beer before the hip young things who (understandably) don’t want to be drinking with a baby in the room invade.

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Posted on February 17, 2011

Albums »Grinderman

by Grinderman (2007)

Grinderman’s self titled debut swaggers. It sways and struts around the stage in tight pants while extravagantly yanking the mic around thrusting its hips. It is pretty much the embodiment of most of the rock and roll fantasies of most of the men I know.

It’s racous, simple rock and roll and the world absolutely loved it when it was released. I enjoy it too, though if I had to pick, I am more partial to the weirder, genre bending stuff from Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds.

It’s interesting seeing this other side to these musicians though. Grinderman is made up of Cave plus various “Bad Seeds” and it sounds like they’re having fun; leaving behind some of the signature gloom while still retaining enough to set this apart from other rock albums out there.

Now that I’ve finally got caught up with this release, I need to look into Grinderman 2, released last year.

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Posted on February 17, 2011

Desserts,Recipes »Blueberry Pie

from Simply Recipes

Another day, another berry pie. This time, it’s a Blueberry Pie with a hint of vanilla (my own addition to the recipe).

It may seem repetitive after having just made a Blackberry Pie (recipe also from Simply Recipes), but when you’re on to a good thing, why stop?

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Posted on February 16, 2011